National Breastfeeding Week

I saw a lot of things recently on facebook about it being national breastfeeding week(month?) but today when I was blog reading (while nursing) I was actually reading another PacNW mama's blog. Jenn @ PDXmama. I love Jenn's blog and I was thrilled to see some baby Oz pics and read a bit about her birth and nursing journey. I always love seeing the side of working mom.

I've had two very different nursing relationships. Especially in the beginning. I do believe part of the hurdle that I had when I gave birth to Carson was lack of skin to skin right away, there was also just not that much support at the hospital and I was kind of left to fend for myself as a new mom.

My milk was slow to come in, 5 days. I never supplemented and I regret that, my baby was probably starving and I was so against formula to do what was best for my baby. (I am NOT against formula feeders at all. Feed yo babies!)

After my milk came in, Carson wasn't latching properly. He had a really shallow latch and was a sleepy eater in the first month or so of life. We used a nipple shield and I pumped around the clock trying to up my supply.

We battled low weight with Carson. He has always been tiny but I think part of it was my low supply.


Recommendation to new nursing mothers

1. It will hurt at the beginning but once you get a good latch, it will get better. 
2. Get a good Lactation consultant. Le Leche League is amazing 
3. Make everyone aware how dedicated you are BEFORE the birth (I swear it was the reason I kept nursing Carson) 
4. Keep in mind that it WILL get better
5. If you need supplement to, just make sure that if you are truly wanting to breastfeed. Pump out that feeding to keep supply up. 

Carson and I had a rough first 12 weeks of nursing, but then when we finally got our groove on. We nursed until he was 16 months old. It was the hardest thing I have had to do was break the breastfeeding relationship. 

Oliver was a tad different. This boy LOVES to eat. My dr joked at his birth that he was the only baby she's ever seen that was latched on and nursing before his placenta was delivered. I'm not joking as soon as he was born he was rooting and ready to eat. Double dipper ;) 

My nursing relationship has been pretty much perfect with Oliver (except he is a biter) I am so happy that he has been such an easy baby to feed. 

If you have a newborn or are pregnant and want to breastfeed, please do not hesitate to contact LLL. Lactation consultants will work on a sliding scale if you can't afford an appointment. 

Le Leche League